


In Your Arms, I’m Home

by middlechildofeternity



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Angst, Cuddling, Fluff, M/M, Pining, beta read who is she, pls they’re both dumb soft idiots, we be writing this at 3am, woosan if u squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:27:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24973084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/middlechildofeternity/pseuds/middlechildofeternity
Summary: Hongjoong doesn’t really know what to expect when Yunho turns up at his door. But it doesn’t take long for the tall, peachy haired boy to make himself at home in Hongjoong’s life... and slowly, his heart.(AKA hongjoong hires yunho from an agency that lets you hire ppl to cuddle, he gets Attached)
Relationships: Choi San/Jung Wooyoung (mentioned), Jeong Yunho/Kim Hongjoong
Comments: 4
Kudos: 77





	1. You Really Have To Go?

Hongjoong whined as Yunho retracted himself from the smaller’s arms.  
“You have to go already?” He asked, and Yunho could only nod.  
“You know I do, Hongjoong-ssi, I have other people to go to” Yunho answered and Hongjoong’s heart could have burst right there. Of course Yunho had others to see. He wasn’t free to stay as long as he wanted in Hongjoong’s arms- although the older boy was sure he was the only one who wanted Yunho to stay.

He sat up, watching as Yunho gathered his things and headed for the door.  
“I assume same time next week?” He asked as he slipped on his shoes, and Hongjoong nodded.  
“Yeah. I’ll... see you then” he said, giving Yunho a brief wave as the other left. As soon as the door shut Hongjoong flopped onto his couch, pulling a cushion to his chest. He knew, he knew hiring someone like Yunho was going to be a bad idea. He was too clingy. Hiring someone he could cling to for mere hours at a time wasn’t going to be enough and he knew it. But it didn’t stop him dialling the number on that godforsaken advert. Being assured he’d be sent out someone that matched who he was looking for. Opening the door on the day Yunho first arrived and being absolutely floored by the man. He was tall, much taller than Hongjoong, with fluffy peach coloured hair, soft sparkly eyes and cheeks Hongjoong wanted to poke. He restrained himself, naturally, gathering himself long enough to let Yunho in to his apartment. The taller had barely gotten to ask any questions before Hongjoong had dragged him over to the couch and begun clinging to him. Yunho didn’t seem to mind, simply chuckling and shuffling to make it more comfy for the two of them.  
And that was pretty much how they’d stayed, talking quietly, until Yunho had announced he had to leave. Hongjoong had almost cried- the feeling of human contact had filled some hole he had but it seemed to open right up again as Yunho carefully freed himself from Hongjoong’s grasp.

-  
Hongjoong sighed. That was always how it went. Yunho showed up, Hongjoong clung to him for an hour or two, until he had to leave again. He knew at some point he needed to call it a day. It was getting harder for him to let Yunho walk out the door each time and he knew one day it would end badly. He’d get just a little too clingy and Yunho would get freaked out and the next time they saw each other it would be awkward and Yunho would leave and Hongjoong would be a mess. He’d become far too dependent on being able to cuddle someone that was, really, a stranger to him. Sure, they talked, but it was mostly Hongjoong unloading. He knew very little about the tall, soft boy and right there and then Hongjoong decided he’d rectify that.

-  
A week passed, and Hongjoong basically ran home from work. He got home, tidied up a little and changed into something comfier, then waited. Half an hour later, there was a knock, and he all but threw himself at the front door to open it.  
“Yunho! Hi!” He greeted the tall boy far too eagerly, but Yunho brushed it off with a small laugh.  
“How are you, Hongjoong-ssi?” He asked as he stepped inside, and Joong pouted.  
“I’ve told you, you can call me hyung..” Hongjoong protested, but Yunho shook his head.  
“It would be unprofessional” he answered as Hongjoong dragged him to the couch, the older using it as an opportunity to hide his pout. He knew it was dangerous to let himself think that their relationship could be anything other than professional. Because if he knocked over that little barrier, it would be too easy for Hongjoong to catch feelings for the sweet tall boy. And once that started, it would be impossible for him to let Yunho go. Too jealous to let him go to someone else, too convinced in his mind Yunho was his and that he’d never have to leave. Hongjoong shook his head. Dangerous thoughts. He pushed them aside and fell onto the sofa, Yunho following, who was quick to wrap himself around Hongjoong’s smaller figure.

“How was your day, Hongjoong-ssi?” Yunho began, but Joong shook his head.  
“We always talk about me... I wanna learn stuff about you too, Yunho” he announced, looking up at the taller boy, who looked surprised, but happy.  
“If that’s what you want.. what would you like to know?”  
Hongjoong’s face lit up and he began speaking.

“Stuff you know about me.. I mean I know you work, but.. how did you get into this? Do you study or do anything like that too?”  
Yunho chuckled.  
“Honestly this isn’t what I was thinking I’d do when I was looking for work after starting university. But someone in one of my classes mentioned it, and I thought it sounded interesting. I’m a naturally cuddly person, so I figured it couldn’t hurt to bring that to people who need it.” Yunho explained, a small smile gracing his features. “I study too, I take culinary classes. Not to brag but I can cook pretty well. I want to run my own little cafe when I finish classes” he added, looking down to see if Hongjoong was listening, almost taken aback by how intently the older boy seemed to be looking at him. As if embarrassed at being caught Hongjoong blinked and looked away, cheeks flushing.

“That sounds so interesting! You live a far more exciting life than me” Hongjoong said with a small laugh. “How long do you have left to go?”

“About half a year. I’m really close to finishing and it’s so exciting. I already know where I’m going to have the cafe, I just need to put a deposit down.” Yunho announced eagerly, and despite Hongjoong’s happiness for him, he couldn’t help but feel a strange pang in his chest. He wouldn’t have Yunho much longer. That thought suddenly hurt worse than the pang and Hongjoong pushed it away.

“That’s so exciting for you! I’ll have to come pay a visit when you’ve opened” Hongjoong looked up at Yunho with a wide grin as he spoke, Yunho’s expression full of equal happiness.  
“You will? Ah, I’ll wait to see you there! It’ll be interesting having you be my customer in two different jobs, Hongjoong-ssi” Yunho giggled, and Hongjoong nodded, once again ignoring the pang in his chest.

-  
The hour session seemed to fly by, and by the time Yunho left, Hongjoong had learnt more about the boy than he intended, but he wasn’t going to complain. It made him happy, though. To think they were getting closer, even just a little.  
“No. Bad Hongjoong. He’s just someone you hire to cuddle” the male scolded himself, getting up to prepare himself dinner. As he went through the motions, Hongjoong realised just how quiet his house was, now it was only him. He wasn’t allowed pets in the building or he’d have cats, but at the end of the day, they wouldn’t be able to talk to him. Music, radio, nothing seemed to quite fill the emptiness and quiet the same way having Yunho over did. He went to bed thinking way too hard about it.

-  
The next day, after work, Hongjoong returned home only to find his friends outside his door.  
“Well you took your time” Seonghwa laughed, walking up to hug Hongjoong, who could only laugh and return the hug. He tried not to think about how it felt different.  
“Hey, in my defence I didn’t even know you guys were coming” Hongjoong laughed as he unlocked his door, letting the rest of the guys into the apartment before following. This was what he needed. A night with the people he was closest to.

And what a night it turned out to be. Somebody had failed to stop San and Wooyoung bringing alcohol, and when they started drinking, so did everyone else. It had been a couple of hours, and Hongjoong was plastered, leaning into Seonghwa’s side while the dark haired male talked about something at his job- Hongjoong had zoned out, if he was being honest. San and Wooyoung had snuck off to somewhere else in the apartment - or maybe they’d gone, Hongjoong didn’t know - and he didn’t want to think about what they were doing, which left himself, Seonghwa, and Mingi sprawled out on the couch and floor. The floor, because despite Mingi’s bright red hair being rested on Hongjoong’s thighs, which were definitely on the couch, the rest of Mingi’s body had slipped onto the floor, slowly but surely, the more he had to drink. Out of the three of them, Seonghwa was the most sober and he was slowly getting irritated with Hongjoong’s constant fidgeting. After the shorter adjusted himself once again, Seonghwa sighed.

“Hongjoong, could you please stay still?” Seonghwa asked, and Hongjoong stilled, pouting.  
“You don’t feel right” he mumbled, only met with confused looks from the older boy.  
“What do you mean? You always lean on me without problem” Seonghwa asked, head tilting a little. Hongjoong just shook his head with a sigh.  
“You’re not Yunho” he mumbled, and Seonghwa raised an eyebrow, but by this point Hongjoong had fallen asleep. Seonghwa sighed, getting up and picking Hongjoong up despite Mingi’s protests as his pillow was taken away, putting the younger to bed before going to drag Mingi home.

Hongjoong, now in his bed, seemed to recognise the difference and fell into a deeper sleep. It remained dreamless until at one point he was sure he felt arms around him. They felt different to Seonghwa’s, softer, and it was then Hongjoong realised it was Yunho. He cracked an eye open to see the soft boy looking down at him, chuckling and pushing some of Joong’s fringe from out of his face.  
“Sorry if I woke you, hyung” Yunho chuckled, settling into the bed with Hongjoong in his arms, who happily fell back asleep in the only hold that felt right anymore.

-  
He was cruelly awoken by the sound of his alarm clock blaring. Grumbling, Hongjoong raised an arm and hit the snooze, turning over in his sheets and sighing.  
“I guess that’s me awake..” he started to speak, cracking one eye open only to find nothing beside him but the rest of his empty bed and the sun shining on the pillow beside him, and oh boy, did that wake Hongjoong up faster than any alarm clock ever would. The warm feeling was quick to fade- he’d really dreamt of falling asleep in Yunho’s arms. He’d opened his eyes expecting to see the taller boy beside him, the sun shining on his face and making his skin glow, his hair seem softer than it already was, instead of the white of the pillow. The harsh glare seemed to mock him, and Hongjoong knew he was in trouble. He’d never even noticed the barrier come down- and now he had, it was too late.

Hongjoong got up, going about his normal morning routine, his head clouded with thought. It was too easy for him now to picture Yunho doing these things alongside him. Cooking him breakfast, giving him a hug goodbye before they both went to work. Hongjoong shook his head. Dangerous thoughts. But he knew it was too late. And he knew he had to do something to stop it.

-  
Despite knowing what he had to do, it didn’t make the phone call any easier as Hongjoong sat back in his chair, waiting for someone to answer the line. A couple more rings, and then  
“Hello, you’ve reached our Rent A Buddy customer services, how may I help?” The woman’s voice on the other end was far too cheerful for Hongjoong’s mood but that was the least of his worries.  
“Hi there, my name is Kim Hongjoong. I... need to unsubscribe from your services.”

-  
When the next day Yunho was supposed to visit Hongjoong rolled round, the boy was surprised to see the older’s name not on his schedule. That was odd. Hongjoong had never taken a day off, at least not without telling Yunho, or changing the day they would meet. The fact his name was gone with no warning was unusual, but perhaps something urgent had come up and he’d had to cancel. The thought saddened Yunho for some reason- a strange little pang in his chest. He frowned, before shrugging it off. It gave him another hour to himself.

-  
Hongjoong, on the other hand, had gotten home from work and gone straight to bed. He knew if he went to sit anywhere near his front door he would sit and wait for Yunho to show up. The fact the tall boy wouldn’t be doing so anymore hurt, and so Hongjoong buried himself in his sheets. He tried not to let himself sleep, only too afraid he’d dream of Yunho again. It seemed to be a regular thing now, and Hongjoong- well. He couldn’t hate it. But it made his life hard, feeling himself drift off in the warmth of Yunho’s arms, only to find himself waking up alone. It was getting hard to bear, and so he was determined to just not sleep at all.

-  
When the second week rolled around that Hongjoong’s name was not on Yunho’s schedule, the boy was beginning to get concerned. He couldn’t quite explain the strange unsettling ball of.. something in his chest, and he was quick to ring his manager. Wondering if she knew anything he didn’t. Had Hongjoong just had another emergency? That was the only option Yunho liked to think about, not entertaining the idea that he’d changed who he was hiring, even though the word ‘emergency’ brought alarming images to his mind. He hoped Hongjoong was okay. The man was the nicest out of all of his clients, that was for sure. Most were women, and most would always try to encourage him into activities besides cuddling. He had other men too, but none of them were willing to be quite so cuddly and clingy as Hongjoong. And they certainly weren’t exempt from the group that tried to make him do other stuff. He was made to go to whoever hired him, though. Hongjoong had never tried anything like that with him before, and Yunho could only be thankful. The older boy seemed too soft, and Yunho was sure he was just genuinely lonely. Nobody was that clingy with a stranger unless they needed the contact.

The thought of Hongjoong being lonely was just something else that added to the strange feeling in Yunho’s chest. When his manager finally answered the phone, he was quick to enquire after Hongjoong. And oh boy did he nearly drop the phone after hearing what she said.  
“He.. unsubscribed? From the company? Or.. f-from me?” Yunho asked, and the amount of relief that washed over him to learn that Hongjoong hadn’t suddenly changed who he saw was overwhelming, and altogether slightly alarming for Yunho. He hung up the call, thanking his manager, before sighing and sitting back in his chair. He had another hour to himself. But this time it felt emptier.


	2. Staying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things get Discussed, everything do be angsty for a hot minute, and then we get that sweet fluff

To say Hongjoong was struggling would be... an understatement. It had now been nearly a month since he’d last seen Yunho, and it was affecting him. He’d thought distancing himself from the tall boy would help, but if anything, it had made things worse. He was whipped, he knew it, but there was nothing he could do now. It would be better for them both if they never met again.

-  
This, unfortunately, did not last for much longer.  
Hongjoong had been staring down into his bowl of food, taking a small bite every now and then, but if he was honest, he was tired and his appetite had all but gone out the window. He raised his head to look out the glass beside him, and his eyes widened as he saw Yunho walk past. He was quick to duck his head, rubbing his eyes. Now he was hallucinating? Great.

Hongjoong cautiously raised his head again and nearly had a heart attack. Yunho was staring right back at him, eyes just as wide, sparkling but Hongjoong could see for the wrong reasons.  
And then the tall boy was marching off, wiping his eyes hastily. Hongjoong cursed, looking down at his food then back up at Yunho’s retreating figure. Did he go after him? He felt awful seeing the look in Yunho’s eyes.  
Sighing, Hongjoong got up.

-  
“Yunho! Yunho, please! Wait up!” Hongjoong called as he rushed out of the convenience store, following after the retreating peach haired figure. Yunho didn’t seem to be slowing down, and Hongjoong cursed, simply picking up the pace until he could reach out and grab hold of Yunho’s sleeve. Only to have his hand harshly shaken off.  
“Leave me alone, Hongjoong-ssi. I think you made it clear you didn’t want to see me anymore. So why bother now? We were strangers before so why can’t we just go back to that?” Yunho’s harsh words came, and it basically broke Hongjoong’s heart to hear how quiet he was, how hard he was trying to keep his voice from breaking.

“Yunho, I- I’m sorry. I was- you were-“ Hongjoong started, cursing as his words were stumbled. “I’m sorry. Can.. can we talk? Please?” Hongjoong was ready to start begging, but Yunho didn’t seem to have a lot of fight in him. Hongjoong led him back to the store, buying another bowl of food for Yunho and sitting down across from him. Yunho poked at the food, before sighing.

“Why did you leave? Your name wasn’t on my schedule and I thought maybe something had come up, but then a second week in a row... I rang my manager, she told me you’d left. Unsubscribed. I wanna know why.” Yunho’s voice suddenly seemed colder, and he looked up at Hongjoong angrily. The older bit his lip, looking down at his own now cold bowl of food sheepishly.

“I... Okay. I need you to know it was nothing you did. You were- are- great, Yunho. It wasn’t you, it was me. I...” Hongjoong paused, taking a breath before speaking again.  
“I was getting too attached to you. The line between being professional and wanting you to never leave got too blurry and when I went to sleep drunk one night I dreamt you were there with me. And... I knew it was too late, and I didn’t want to make things awkward, because that’s what I do, so I unsubscribed. I thought it would be best to distance myself from you, but... it didn’t work. It made it worse. The thing is, Yunho, I like you. I thought at first I was just being clingy and lonely but then we began talking more about you and I got to know you more and I was already kind of infatuated with how tall and soft you are but then I learnt who you were as a person too and... god, I like you so much. And- I’m sorry. If this is too weird, or whatever, you can leave, I just... saw you and I saw how hurt you looked and I suddenly had to tell you. So...” Hongjoong trailed off, staring at his balled up fists in his lap.

Yunho had gone silent, listening to Hongjoong’s words. It was a lot to process, but suddenly Yunho couldn’t help but laugh. It suddenly hit him, why he’d been so upset about Hongjoong not wanting him to visit, why he’d been relieved he wasn’t seeing someone else.  
“I like you too, Hongjoong-ssi” Yunho blurted. “I- I didn’t realise at first. I know I liked coming to visit you, and god you were my favourite client. You just seemed so genuinely in need of company, and I was so happy to give it to you. I liked hearing you talk about yourself, I liked being there to help you. And.. then you left and I was worried. Really worried. And I couldn’t figure out why, any of it. But... oh I’m stupid” he laughed, weakly, suddenly tearing up. Yunho reached over the table, taking one of Hongjoong’s hands in his, making the older finally look up. He too had tears in his eyes, but the stupidest grin on his face.  
“I like you, Hongj- hyung” Yunho said gently, squeezing Hongjoong’s hand.

—————  
“You’re gonna be late!” Hongjoong called from the kitchen as Yunho rushed out of their room, grabbing a slice of toast.  
“Yes, thank you, I know” Yunho sassed back, sticking his tongue out before heading for the door. “See you tonight?” He called, looking over his shoulder as he slipped his shoes on, only to see Hongjoong pouting at him.  
“Oh you big baby” Yunho laughed, taking his one shoe he’d managed to get on off, walking back over to Hongjoong and wrapping him in his arms, holding him tightly before pressing a kiss to his cheek, and trying to pull away, only to be held tighter.  
“Hongjoooooong” Yunho whined, looking down to see Hongjoong giving him an even more exaggerated pout. “I’m gonna be late and it’s all your fault” Yunho teased, before leaning down to press a soft kiss to Hongjoong’s pout. This seemed to finally satisfy him as he sat back down, waving as Yunho rushed to get his shoes on again.  
“Have a good day, baby!” Hongjoong called as Yunho rushed out the door, hearing only a faint “You too!” as it closed behind him. Hongjoong chuckled, finishing his breakfast and staring where Yunho had left. Only now, when Yunho left, it was only to come right back home to Hongjoong, and he couldn’t be happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what is the chapter name you don’t know i don’t know but y’know what? i’m sleepy.  
> anyway uhh i hope you guys enjoyed! please leave feedback it might encourage me to turn the like,, 50 unfinished drabbles i have in my notes into actual stories gasp

**Author's Note:**

> uhh hello this is my first fanfic on here please be nice to me i wrote this at like,, one in the morning and i’m posting it at three so whoop.  
> i have a soft spot for hohong okay sue me


End file.
